Tuscan Chicken Pasta

A rich, creamy, and deeply savory Tuscan chicken pasta that brings the warmth of Italy straight to your kitchen.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant Quality at Home: It tastes like it took hours, but comes together in one pan.
• Perfectly Balanced: The acidity of the sun-dried tomatoes cuts through the rich cream sauce beautifully.
• Versatile: You can easily swap the chicken for shrimp or white beans!

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

• Large deep skillet or Dutch oven
• Microplane (for grating Parmesan)
• Pasta tongs
• A sharp chef's knife

Ingredients

• 1 lb Penne or Rigatoni
• 2 large Chicken Breasts (sliced)
• 1/2 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes (chopped)
• 2 cups Fresh Spinach
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated)
• 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Boil the Pasta: In a large pot of heavily salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Sear the Chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Sear the sliced chicken until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
3. Build the Flavor Base: In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium. Sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes for 1 minute until highly fragrant.
4. Create the Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Wilt and Combine: Stir in the Parmesan cheese and fresh spinach until the spinach is just wilted.
6. The Final Toss: Add the cooked pasta, chicken, and a splash of the reserved pasta water back into the skillet. Toss vigorously until perfectly coated and glossy. Serve immediately!

Chef’s Pro Tips for Perfect Results

The Pasta Water Secret: Never skip saving the pasta water! The starch in the water is the magic ingredient that binds the heavy cream and the cheese together into a silky emulsion rather than a sticky clump.

Nutritional Info